by Shi Nai-An
"Don't be absurd!" said the waiter. "She is the wife of the proprietor."
"What does it matter if she is?" replied Wu Sung. "It is not a serious thing if she drinks wine with me."
"Blockhead!" remarked the girl. "You are a thief deserving of death." Instantly she pushed open the wicket in the counter, and came forward. Wu Sung jumped up stripped off his upper garments, and tied them round his waist. Throwing a bowl of wine on the floor, he stepped towards the girl, and seized hold of her. His grip was so forceful that she could not move. One hand was round her waist, and the other hand stripped the ornaments off her head and dashed them to pieces on the ground. He then grasped her hair, lifted her over the counter, and dropped her in one of the wine kangs. There was a great splash of wine, and it was really pitiable to see the girl in such a position. There were several waiters who now rushed to attack Wu Sung. But Wu Sung was in no hurry. As they came up he quietly seized them, and dropped them one by one into the wine jars. Two of them he knocked down with his foot or fist. Those in the jars could not get out, and the two he had knocked down could not get up. They were all in a mess. One servant had however run away, and Wu Sung knew that he was going to report the affair to Chiang, the Door God, so he went after him. He thought if he met him on the way it would only be an opportunity for people to watch the fun and enjoy the sport.
The servant told Chiang, the Door God, who was startled, and jumped up knocking over the chair. He threw down his fly whisk and hurried off. He soon met Wu Sung at a place where the road was quite wide. Chiang had been
[page 409]
indulging in women and wine so that he was now not strong and was startled at this unexpectedness. He saw that Wu Sung was approaching like a tiger, and began to wonder how he should deal with him. He noticed that the latter appeared to be drunk so he decided upon a sudden attack. The movements of both were very rapid. Wu Sung first shook both fists at Chiang, but stepped quickly to one side. Chiang angrily sprang forward, but Wu Sung whizzed round and kicked Chiang in the stomach. Chiang clasped both hands, to his stomach and stooped down. Wu Sung kicked again, and striking Chiang on the forehead, knocked him backwards. Taking a step forward Wu Sung planted his foot on Chiang's breast, and then stooping down hit him in the face with both his great fists. Wu Sung's methods of using his fists and feet is called, the "Jeweled Ring Swing" and the "Mandarin Duck Kick," and in both of these he was quite an expert.
Chiang still lying on the ground pleaded for mercy. Wu Sung replied that if he wanted to save his life he must agree to do three things.
Chiang asked be forgiven and said that instead of three Wu Sung could make three hundred demands, and all would be agreed to.
Disguise is useful when one meets,
A bully who will disdain reason;
The hair is cut; the eyebrows trimmed,
When death demands a quick conclusion.
We will now relate what were the terms that Wu Sung laid down.
[page 410]
CHAPTER 29
SHIH EN THREE TIMES ENTERS A DEATH CELL;
WU SUNG CREATES A DISTURBANCE
AT FLYING CLOUD POOL
"THE first thing," said Wu Sung, "is that you immediately all the household goods and furniture to Shih En, the Golden Eyed Tiger's Cub."
Chiang immediately agreed to do this.
"Secondly, that as soon as I allow you to get up you will summon all the brave heroes of this Delightful Forest to come and give obeisance to Shih En."
Chiang also agreed to do this.
"Thirdly, that as soon as you have done these two things you will leave this district, and not return to it again. If I see you here again I will again beat you. And if you come ten times, I will beat you ten times. If I treat you lightly you will be nearly dead, but if I beat you thoroughly you will certainly be killed. Do you also agree to this condition?"
Chiang wanted to preserve his life so as soon as he heard this he also agreed.
Wu Sung picked him up, and saw that his face was bruised and that his lips were swollen already. His head was wrested to one side, and blood was flowing from a wound in his temple. Wu Sung pointed his finger at Chiang, the Door God, and abused him, "What a small thing you are! When I killed the tiger I only gave three blows of my fist and a couple of kicks. Be quick and hand over those plunderings. If you are a little slow I shall beat you again.
Chiang, the Door God, now knew that his opponent was Wu Sung, and he signified his submission. While they were talking thus Shih En arrived with about twenty armed men to settle the issue by force if necessary. They were exceedingly delighted to see that Wu Sung had been victorious, and they all gathered round him.
[page 411]
Wu Sung pointing his finger at Chiang, the Door God, said, "The original proprietor of the shop has now arrived. So now send for the men to make obeisance, to him."
Chiang asked them all to go and sit down in the inn. Wu Sung took them all to the inn, where they found the floor was all flooded with wine. The men and the girl had managed to get out of the jars but their faces were badly besmeared, and their clothes were dripping with wine. All the other waiters had run away. Wu Sung and his followers entered the inn and sat down. He told Chiang to get his things packed ready, and put the baggage on a cart, and sent them and the girl off in advance. The waiters were sent off to bring the heroes of the village to the inn to pay respects to Shih En. When they arrived they were all asked to take their seats at the tables on which was a bountiful supply of the best wine.
Wu Sung told Shih En to take the seat of honor, and Chiang, the Door God, to sit by his side. Each man had a large cup, and after they had all drunk several cups of warm wine Wu Sung spoke, "Honorable neighbors, I, Wu Sung, committed murder at Yang Ku Hsien, and was banished to this place. Upon arrival here I heard people say that this inn in the Delightful Forest formerly belonged to Shih En, and that it was taken from him by force, and without payment, by Chiang, the Door God. But you must not suppose that Shih En is my master or that I have any thing to do with him. I have always tried to punish those who are unfair to their fellow men. In my travels I would draw out my sword whenever I see any injustice. I have never been afraid of death. To-day I would have given Chiang, the Door God, a very severe thrashing, and rid this village of an evil but out of due regard to you honorable neighbors I spare his life, on the condition that he must go to some other district this very evening. If however I ever see him return to this place I will deal with him in the same way that I treated the tiger on Ching Yang Ridge."
Upon hearing this all the neighbors knew that he was Wu Sung, and they now stood up and spoke in favor of Chiang, the Door God, "Good sir, please appease your anger. We will see that he goes, and restores the property to Shih En."
[page 412]
Chiang dared not say a word, but duly handed over the property to Shih En. He saluted the neighbors, put his baggage on a cart, and departed.
Wu Sung drank wine with the neighbors until they were all drunk. They left in the evening when Wu Sung went to sleep, and did not get up until the following morning about 9 a.m.
When Shih, the old warden, heard that his son had again got control of the Delightful Forest, he rode a horse, and upon reaching the inn he thanked Wu Sung for what he had done. During the following days they had bountiful feasts for celebration. In the Delightful Forest there was not a single man who did not hear of Wu Sung and come to congratulate him. The inn was renovated, and reopened. Shih, the old warden, returned home, but Wu Sung stayed at the inn where the business was more prosperous than before. All the gambling dens and exchange shops sent greater sums to Shih En, so that he was now making double profits. Shih En paid great respects to Wu Sung, and looked upon him as a parent.
After more than a month the weather got cooler, and pleasant breezes introduced the beginning of autumn. We might write a lot about this pleasant period, but we must desist. One day Shih En was discussing with Wu Sung the art of fencing and boxing, when they saw three s
oldiers leading a horse stop in front of the inn, and ask for the proprietor, and then also asked whether "that tiger slayer, Wu Sung, was also there."
Shih En recognized the soldiers as the personal bodyguard of lieutenant Chang Meng-fang at Meng Chou. So he went outside and asked what they wanted Wu Sung for.
"Our officer has ordered us to come here to invite Wu Sung," said a soldier. "Here is our written order."
Shih En read the order and thought, "This lieutenant Chang is my father's superior, and my father is at his disposal. As Wu Sung is a banished convict and also under his control so that he will have to go." So Shih En went inside and told Wu Sung that these soldiers had an order from lieutenant Chang to take him to see that officer that they had brought a horse for him to ride. And he asked what did he think about it?
[page 413]
Wu Sung was a straightforward man, and at once replied, "As the colonel wants me, I must go and see what he has to say."
So Wu Sung went at once to change his dress, and taking a servant with him, mounted the horse, and set off for Meng Chou. Upon arrival at lieutenant Chang's house he dismounted, and followed a soldier inside.
When Chang saw Wu Sung he was much pleased, and told him to come forward. Wu Sung saluted, and clasping both hands stood with attention at one side.
Chang spoke, "I have heard that you are a great man, without equal in bravery, and are firm and constant with your companions whether in life or death. For some time I have been looking out for such a man as you, but do not know whether you would care to act as my confidential personal guard."
Wu Sung knelt down and said, "I am a criminal. If I am to be favored by such a promotion I would, of course, like to be your servant, and wait upon Your Excellency."
Chang was much pleased at this, and ordered a servant to bring some fruit and wine. When it arrived he poured out the wine himself, and offered it to Wu Sung. Wu Sung drank much wine. He also arranged for him a room quite close to his own quarter.
The following day he sent a messenger to Shih En to get Wu Sung's things as the latter was going to stay at the lieutenant's residence. After that Chang often had Wu Sung in his private apartments at meals, and treated him as a member of his family. A tailor was ordered to make suits of clothes for him for the autumn season. Wu Sung was much pleased at these indications of good will, and knew that it was very unusual for such a high official to treat men in this way. "Since I came here I have not been a few steps away from His Excellency so that I have had no opportunity of going to the Delightful Forest to visit Shih En. But he has several times sent men to see me, but they have never been allowed to come inside here."
In the yamen lieutenant Chang and Wu Sung became more and more intimate as time went on. Whatever Wu Sung spoke in favor of any man who had confided in him with any important affair lieutenant Chang would agree to. Therefore people gave Wu Sung much silver, money, silk, etc. which he stored away in a ratten basket.
[page 414]
Time passed quickly, and it was soon the middle of autumn. Lieutenant Chang prepared a feast in his inner apartments to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, and invited Wu Sung to join him. When Wu Sung arrived he saw the wife and family of Chang were there, so after drinking one cup of wine he prepared to depart, but Chang asked where he was going. Wu Sung replied, "As your wife and family are here I must act in a polite way and not stay."
Chang laughed, but was pleased to hear this. He said, "You make a mistake! I respect you as a hero. I particularly asked you to come, and dine with me, so what difference does it make that my wife and family are also here? Please sit down."
"But I am a criminal," replied Wu Sung. "So how dare I sit down in your company."
"Hero," said Chang, "why should you not associate with us? There are no strangers here, so why not sit down?"
Wu Sung still wanted to go, but Chang repeatedly pressed him to stay. At last he agreed to stop, and sat down on the edge of the chair in accordance with etiquette. A maidservant filled their cups with wine, and their conversation was about military skill. At last Chang asked him why he drank so little wine, and he told the girl attendant to bring large silver cups for the wine. He then gave Wu Sung plenty of wine, and one cup followed quickly another. The bright moonlight was streaming through the eastern window. Wu Sung was now drinking to excess, and being half drunk threw decorum to the wind, and forget his manners. Chang sent for a young maidservant named Orchid, whom Chang liked very much because of her singing. When she arrived he said to her, "There is nobody here except my personal bodyguard Wu Sung. You can sing to us that song about the Mid-Autumn Moonlight." Orchid took her ivory castanets, and saluted. She then sang the poem by Su Tung-po:
THE AUTUMN MOON
I cannot sleep a bit to-night
The sky 's so clear with moonlight;
I roll up jeweled blinds and gaze,
On scene so vast and lovely.
[page 415]
The moon has light, and shadows black,
Now full, but soon a crescent;
But why not always full and round,
And perfect -- never changing?
All men have pleasures -- sorrows too,
And friendship mixed with hatred;
I hope for future manifest,
With beauty, virtue constant.
Bright moon sails the empyrean blue,
And knows the ways of Heaven;
It's breast unstirred by feelings vile,
A piece of jade quite flawless.
I wish to mount the wind and fly,
To those far heights so dizzy;
And climb the pure, cold towers of jade,
And gaze on jeweled heavens.
But ah! I should a shadow cast,
Upon the scene below me;
I am but human and of clay,
Must leave those heights for Chang O.
("Chang O" is the goddess in the moon.)
When Orchid had finished, she gave a woman's salute (wan fu), put down her ivory castanets, and stood at one side.
Lieutenant Chang spoke to her, "Orchid, you can fill up our cups with wine." She took a tray with wine, and a maidservant accompanied her filling the cups. She first served the lieutenant, then his wife, and then Wu Sung. When Wu Sung was receiving his wine he bowed his head slightly as a sign of compliments. He saluted both lieutenant Chang and his wife, and then drank the wine at one draft, and returned the cup to the girl.
Lieutenant Chang pointed to Orchid and said to Wu Sung, "This girl very clever. She is skilled not only in music, but is very capable at needlework. If she finds favor in your eye we could select a lucky day, and marry her to you.
Wu Sung saluted and replied, "I am hardly worthy of marrying a woman from your household. Would it not also injure my prospects of a livelihood here?"
The lieutenant laughed, "As I have said I must give her to you, so do not decline my proposal."
[page 416]
Wu Sung felt that he had taken too much wine and was afraid that he might lose his manners. He got up, saluted everybody, and left. Upon entering his own room he felt that he could not sleep on account of the wine so he took off his upper garments and unwound his turban. Taking a cudgel he went out into the yard. There was bright moonlight, and he went through a few exercises. Noticing the position of the moon and stars he knew that it was about 1 a.m. So going indoors again he was just on the point of undressing when he heard cries in the inner apartments that thieves had got in. Wu Sung thought that as the lieutenant had treated him so well it was his duty to go and rescue him from the thieves. So seizing his cudgel he hurried off to the inner apartments, and there met Orchid in an agitated state. She shouted out, "A thief has entered the garden." So he went into the flower garden, and searched for the thief without finding him. At last he gave up the search, and was carelessly returning when in a shadow he fell over a stool that had been left there. Immediately about eight soldiers rushed forward shouting, "Here's the thief!" They seized him, and bound hi
s hands behind his back with a rope.
Wu Sung called out, "It is not I!" but the soldiers were not going to listen to anything he said. Wu Sung saw that lieutenant Chang was seated in a room where there was a bright light from a large candle. Chang called out, "Bring the thief here!"
The soldiers beat Wu Sung at each step as they took him into the room where he called out, "I am Wu Sung. I am not a thief." Upon looking at him Chang was very angry, and abused him, saying, "You banished thief! You previously had the eyes, eyebrows, heart, and liver of a thief. Yet I treated you well, asked you to dine with me, and had the intention of making you an official. So how is it that you have now done this vile thing?"
"Sir, I came to try and arrest the thief," said Wu Sung, "and they have arrested me by mistake. I am a most respectable person so how could I commit a theft?"
"You rascal need not offer any excuse," said Chang. "Take him to his room, and see if there are any stolen goods there."
[page 417]
The soldiers took Wu Sung to his quarters, and opened his boxes. At the top was his clothing, but underneath were silver drinking cups and vessels, which worth about two hundred ounces of silver. Upon seeing these Wu Sung stared with astonishment as they were not his things. The soldiers took all the valuables to Chang who said, "Banished thief! So impertinent you are! These things have been found in your boxes so what excuse can you make? There is a saying, 'It is easier to get animals than men out of Hades.' Outwardly you have a man's appearance, but it is evident that you have the heart of some animal." Turning to the soldiers he said, "Take the stolen things, and after sealing them up place them in the treasury for the night and to-morrow we will cross-examine this villain."
